As Zhuo Riyan pushed deeper into the Fifth Region, a faint prickle crawled across his skin. Something was off.
Thanks to the technique Little Cat had taught him, his senses were now sharper than most third-level Beast Vein cultivators. Even while rushing from trunk to trunk, he could clearly feel it—
Someone was spying on them.
But Zhuo Riyan didn't slow down. He didn't look back. He didn't even tense his muscles. He simply kept leaping through the forest, scanning every patch of green for the Three Leaf Frozen Grass.
On his shoulder, Little Cat flicked his tail.
He sensed it too. Their connection was strong—he didn't need words to know Riyan had already picked up the stalkers' presence. So he said nothing and focused on sniffing out the grass.
Minutes later, Zhuo Riyan suddenly halted atop a thick trunk overlooking a wide pond. His eyes widened.
There—near the water's edge—a patch of grass with three green leaves, each tipped with icy cyan.
Three Leaf Frozen Grass.
Little Cat proudly puffed out his chest. "See? I told you I smelled it, master."
"Yeah, yeah. You're the one who found it," Zhuo Riyan muttered, though he couldn't hide the relief in his voice as he dropped down toward the water.
Little Cat rode on his shoulder with the air of a hero returning from war, nearly glowing with pride.
Zhuo Riyan crouched beside the pond, extending his hand to pluck the grass—
Then froze.
Killing intent.
From above.
His instincts screamed, and in the same instant he pushed off the ground and flipped back.
A massive shadow crashed down where he had been.
BOOM!
A bear beast, its claws gleaming like metal blades, smashed its fist into the ground, destroying the entire patch of Three Leaf Frozen Grass. The impact tore open a crater, and pond water immediately gushed in, swallowing what little remained.
A Metallic Bear, its has three star-shaped pupils.
Zhuo Riyan landed several meters away, teeth clenched.
Little Cat leapt off his shoulder, landing before him with a soft thud. Purple thunder exploded from the kitten's tiny body, crackling violently in the air. The ground beneath his paws fractured from the pressure.
He had seen the grass—the one he proudly found—get destroyed right before his eyes.
His fur stood on end. His pupils narrowed.
His rage was terrifying.
Zhuo Riyan felt his own anger ignite, hotter than lightning.
They had been searching since morning. Hours of effort—ruined.
His eyes turned pitch black for a heartbeat… then shifted into glowing purple.
Cosmic Thunderfiend Body—activated.
The purple thunder burst from him like a storm.
The ground beneath him literally melted, forming a circular pit.
"You dare destroy them, you fucking damn beast!"
Zhuo Riyan shot forward, lightning swirling around him so intensely that it carved lines into the earth.
Little Cat moved with him, purple thunder streaking behind like a comet.
Zhuo Riyan drew back his fist, aiming for the bear beast's skull—
But before the punch connected, a man in a black cloak flashed in front of the bear beast and blocked the attack with his wrist.
The shockwave blasted water from the pond into the air.
The cloaked man slid back half a step, his arm trembling.
He was the bear's master—both of them were eighth-level Beast Vein cultivators.
But before he could counterattack—
A streak of purple thunder materialized at the bear's side.
Little Cat.
The kitten's paw glowed with crackling lightning as it slammed into the beast's neck.
CRACK!
The bear beast was blown sideways like a sack of rocks, tumbling into the pond with a splash.
The man in the black cloak stiffened, eyes wide.
"What—what kind of speed is that…?!"
He had blocked Zhuo Riyan's punch.
But he hadn't even SEEN the cat move.
The cloaked man took a step back, his gaze darting between Zhuo Riyan and the little cat wreathed in purple lightning. His voice came out cold and annoyed.
"So you're the brat who's been killing beasts in my territory."
Zhuo Riyan cracked his neck, thunder rolling off his skin. "Your fucking beast destroyed my Three Leaf Frozen Grass. You're damn lucky I'm not killing you first."
The man's eye twitched beneath his hood.
"If you want to die that badly… I'll grant your wish."
He stomped the ground.
A surge of black qi exploded from beneath him, forming a ripple that launched him like an arrow.
Zhuo Riyan reacted too slowly.
WHAM!
The cloaked man's kick slammed into his ribs, launching him through two trees before he crashed into a boulder. The stone cracked, dust exploding around him.
"Master!" Little Cat hissed.
The cloaked man didn't pause. He flicked his hand.
The pond erupted as the bear beast leapt back out, fur bristling, metallic claws gleaming with a dark light.
Together, both master and beast charged.
Little Cat's fur stood up. He jumped in front of the incoming claw—
But he was too small.
BOOM!
The bear beast's massive swipe sent Little Cat flying across the pond, skidding over the water before slamming into a trunk.
Zhuo Riyan staggered up, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Shit… they're strong."
The cloaked man smirked behind his mask. "Eighth level Beast Vein… against a trash like you? You never stood a chance."
Zhuo Riyan flickered with lightning, but his body shook—Cosmic Thunderfiend Body was powerful, but not limitless. The earlier battle drained him.
He was slower.
His punches weaker.
His stamina dipping.
And the cloaked man rushed again.
Zhuo Riyan braced—
BAM!
A palm strike hammered into his stomach, sending him stumbling backward.
On the other side, the bear beast roared and pounced at Little Cat, attempting to crush him under its massive weight.
Little Cat tried to dodge—
But his lightning sputtered. He had used too much to push the bear earlier.
The claw grazed his back, slicing a thin cut.
The kitten hissed in pain, tumbling across the dirt.
For the first time—
Little Cat was bleeding.
The sight made Zhuo Riyan's heart burn.
But the cloaked man struck again.
A knee to the face.
A punch to the gut.
A kick across the ribs.
Zhuo Riyan gritted his teeth, blocking desperately. His body screamed as blow after blow landed. His bones creaked, lightning flickering weakly around him.
They were losing.
"Little… cat…" he muttered between breaths.
The kitten struggled to stand, body trembling, purple thunder flickering weakly.
The cloaked man dusted his sleeves. "This is over."
He raised his hand.
Black qi swirled around his palm.
The bear beast crouched beside him, preparing to lunge.